Red Sox Reality Check

Johnny Pesky has been an important part of Red Sox legend and lore for what seems like forever. He clearly offers the Sox no competitive advantage, and about fifty percent of Americans his age have significant memory loss. Even so, is MLB mean-spirited or just imitating the NFL (No Fun League) here? So, let's consider the possibilities. Every team can have their designated 'Legend' or 'Coach du Jour' or whatever. Let's really be creative. Somehow I don't think that even the Mets would be signing up Morganna. We've already covered the Sox history of nepotism, allowing Marc Sullivan to be in the dugout for about five seasons if I recall. Wasn't there always somebody's kid playing 'A' ball who didn't have a prayer of making it. We could dress up Front Office personnel's relatives as a coach, especially rich ones, and I'm sure that they'd get a kick out of hanging out with tobacco-chewing, womanizing, foul-mouthed players and ...

So often, we live through our comparisons, the present with the past, youth versus experience, man versus man. Tonight's NESN special on the 1967 Red Sox reminds me of the differences between the past and the present, objectively speaking. As a youngster my heroes were Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Palmer. Yaz fought to overcome Ted Williams ultimate shadow, carving out his own niche en route to Cooperstown. Yaz had issues, too, being accused of not hustling out every groundball before Manny Ramirez was born. Palmer wasn't even on the Red Sox, but had a dazzling over the top fastball that could dominate both sides of the plate. While the Sox fizzled, the Orioles dazzled, winning the title in 1966. Every game wasn't on television, and the radio was the broadcast medium of choice. You could play catch and catch the ballgame on the radio, or hear the broadcast at Good Harbor Beach, before parking cost 'an arm and a leg'. Fenway had the Green Monster, forbidding, not invitin...

Rob Bradford has a great interview with our new Japanese imports. Worth your while. Great stuff. It's great to see the Sox putting some wood on the ball tonight, especially against the Great Santana. Maybe he's just sandbagging them.

It's not even the regular season yet, so we're struggling to find Claymation Death Matches. Let's try to come up with a rundown of possible candidates. Dan Shaughnessy versus Curt Schilling. Evidently Shaughnessy wants Schilling off of his turf. Well, who really knows, because who's reading Dirty Dan these days anyway. At least we have reason to believe that Shaughnessy's work is his own, compared with a certain other Globe scribe under the cloud of suspension. Devern Hansack versus Kyle Snyder. Well, Snyder won this one, because he had no options and the 'Nicaraguan Nightmare' gets to know Ben Mondor up close and personal. Coco Crisp versus Jacoby Ellsbury. Coco had an injury-plagued, underachieving inaugural season with the Sox, although he did have his moments like the diving catch depriving the hated Mets of a victory...not as hated as the Yankees, but just a little payback for 1986. Very little. And the New Yorkers argue that Paydro Martinez' contr...

NESN broadcast the Sox-Marlins from City of Palms today, so we all got a chance to judge for ourselves. And we had plenty to see. Josh Beckett faces his second year in the AL and he had a very different approach. He threw his curveball more often and for strikes. He worked both sides of the dish with his fastball, including getting some tailing strikes to lefthanders. But most important, he slowed down his changeup to the point that it became a change, not a batting practice fastball. Julio Lugo showed a lot of energy at shortstop. Jason Varitek called a great game, but I thought he was pulling the bat through the zone, not snapping it. Sometimes you can have too much BP. Maybe I'm wrong. Kevin Youkilis had a busy day scooping up balls in the dirt, and unfortunately booting one in the first inning leading to an unearned run. With 20 errors in 24 games coming into today, the Sox aren't the same defensive team as last year. Orsillo and Remy were in midseason form, although the Re...

SI.com has fantastic team pages, great photos and a terrific clearinghouse for the 'soft' news stories we all eat up.

As Red Sox fans, we spend an inordinate amount of time fretting about issues beyond our control. 2004 notwithstanding, I'm not sure that we can help ourselves. Whether an outgrowth of a Puritanical heritage (not me) or something in the water, cynicism and fear in the Nation seem inescapable. So let's try to compile the issues to worry about, and those 'certainties' and see where we land. WORRIES . Now I'm talking real, legitimate, dyed in the wool concerns, nettlesome, rock-in-the-shoe stuff that probably won't go away. TICKET PRICES . Is it true that they make the ticket sellers wear masks, like Zorro? More seats, yet ever-inflationary ticket prices, Ben Bernanke aside. Well, there is that 160 million dollar payroll. CONCESSIONS . I have my ticket stub from the 1975 World Series Game 1 around somewhere. That ticket cost about the same as a WATER now. Well, the Federal Reserve and the end of the RESERVE CLAUSE have pretty much destroyed the value of a dollar and...

Rob Peter to pay Paul. Weaken the starting rotation to boost the bullpen. The Sox bit the bullet, moving Jonathan Papelbon back to the back end, and in doing so, strengthened their overall pitching. Obviously, the brain trust feared that they would be wasting efforts deep into the game by Schilling, Beckett, and Matsuzaka without a premier closer. And Papelbon had an Eckersley-like run before injury shut him down. If the Sox can identify (or acquire) another closer at some time, then they can relocate Papelbon to the rotation. And the cost just went down, as dealing from weakness, you always end up dealing more than you want. Julian Tavarez pitched effectively down the stretch last season, going 3-0 with a 3.52 ERA last September, a small sample size. Maybe he can at least fill the gap until either John Lester or another candidate for the five spot emerges, or another closer evolves.

Does Spring Training seem to be lasting forever? Do I have to keep watching Bobby Scales? Will the Sox ever score three runs in a game again? Who's the closer? Does Devern Hansack get a chance to make the team, and can anybody see that Kyle Snyder is definitely one of the top six relievers. Let's just look at the bullpen. Is Theo wedded to paying the high-priced spread, or is it an open competition? Okajima is going to make it, as a lefty specialist and transitional object for Daisuke. Has to be. Donnelly makes it as the livest arm and the Ryan Duren Coke-bottle glasses lookalike. Tavarez gets a spot for versatility and payroll considerations. Does that leave three spots? Timlin has a chance to be on the DL if he can't go 100 percent. Funny how that happens as Father Time starts participating. You'd have to figure Romero as another leading candidate, and contract issue. All this leaves Pineiro , Hansack, Snyder (no options), Delcarmen, Hansen, and the rest of the...

Matsu Man (to the tune of Macho Man, by the Village People) Bosox...wanna feel my Bosox? Bosox...such a thrill my Bosox Bosox...wanna touch my Bosox? Bosox...it's too much my Bosox Check it out my Bosox, Bosox. Don't you doubt my Bosox, Bosox. talkin' bout my Bosox, Bosox, check it out my Bosox Every man wants to be a Matsuzaka fan to have the kind of Bosox, always in demand Jogging in the mornings, go man go works out in the health spa, muscles glow You can best believe that, he's a Matsu man ready to get down with, any Boston Fan. Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Matsuzaka fan (Matsu man) I've got to be, a Matsu man Matsuzaka fan, I've got to be a Matsu! Ow.... Matsuzaka fan I've got to be, a Matsu man Matsuzaka fan (yeah, yeah) I've got to be a Matsu! Bosox, its so hot, my Bosox, Bosox, love to pop my Bosox, Bosox, love to please my Bosox, Bosox, don't you tease my Bosox, Bosox, you'll adore my Bosox, Bosox, come explore my Bosox, Bosox, made ...

NESN gave us another opportunity to view Dice-K's offerings, and it proved to be a mixed bag. In the first inning, he blended a combination of hard stuff with a dazzling changeup reminiscent of Pedro Martinez. After that, he scuffled, with the worst location, 'wild in the strike zone'. Sox fans practically fell out of our seats seeing him throwing in the bullpen afterwards. The Sox offense wasn't great, although Kevin Youkilis looks like he's got his stroke down. If Youk can cut down on his strikeouts and maintain his strength all season, I think .300 with 18 homers and 80 RBI out of the two hole would be doable. Julio Lugo continues to show good energy out of the leadoff spot, and Joel Pineiro had a pair of scoreless innings as he continues the transition to relief duty and the competition for the closer role. At least on my screen, NESN had audio problems for most of the game, with the field microphones louder than the broadcast. John Henry and Tom Werner reacted ...

Why the slow start in generating interest in the Red Sox? Could it be the weather, as we try to evolve from the frozen tundra into blustery March and then the warmer winds of May and June? Yes, we have alternatives, with the ACC tournament and BC hanging on by a thread, NFL free agency and The Brady Bunch, high school hoop playoffs, and March Madness. And also the lack of suspense. Contested jobs? How suspenseful is it to wonder whether David Murphy is on the bubble or whether Theo 'Emeril' Epstein decides Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen need more seasoning? Bam! Can Lugo throw the leather once he gets to the ball? Is the chinchilla on Kevin Youkilis' face going to stay there? Did J.D. Drew see Punxatawnee Phil? How much can we milk Matsuzaka, the Jon Lester comeback, the Curt Schilling 'contract year', and the Devern Hansack Nicaraguan fisherman story? How long will the Pedroia Experiment be an experiment before he proves he's got the right stuff, or we hear h...

The Red Sox continued their exhibition/preseason/Spring Training campaign taking on Florida. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched three scoreless innings against major league competition this time, as though we doubted his worth against collegians. Number 18 looks as though it may become numero uno on the knock off jersey side. Meanwhile, the Red Sox seem to be grooming Jon Lester for another stint in the minors, although we can hope that he competes for the fifth starter spot with Tim Wakefield. That's no knock on Wake, but rather a desire for a real competition. Of course, with forty-somethings like Curt Schilling and Wakefield, Josh Beckett only a blister away from trouble, and the vicissitudes of the rotator cuff, if Jon Lester is healthy and effective, he'll get plenty of innings in Boston in 2007. The Fenway Fickle remain pretty concerned about Dustin Pedroia, at least as far as the diehards in my neck of the woods go. The Sox can use all the low budget success they can muster to of...

Florida baseball on television, a mixed bag. The warm sunshine (for others), the splendor of the green grass, and often watching scrubs determine the outcome of games while the stars polish their iron play. That said, can we say anything about the Sox early season action. The starting pitching, even against lower-echelon competition, has to generate optimism. Daisuke Matsuzaka had the Jim Palmer-like ability to control both sides of the plate, and his curve ball breaks down hard and is thrown in the 80s. Nice. We haven't seen much of his offspeed stuff, which some say is his best pitch. Yes, it was against college kids and we'll see what the strike zone is, but he didn't look like Gary Waslewski out there. Schilling is fine, Papelbon threw loose and easily, and 'people' say that Beckett intends to change, like Rocky IV. "I can change, you can change..." What's the margin of the roster? Position players: 1. Ortiz 2. Manny 3. Drew 4. Crisp 5. Pena 6. You...

The Red $ox are constantly looking for ways to exploit their marketability. And why not, with a hungry fan base demanding $ox merchandise, broadcasting, and information? Can we help them out in their unending search for dollahs? How long can it be before the NASCAR logo (above) is plastered on the Green Monster? Is it already there? And it doesn't take much of a stretch to imagine the Red Sox home uniforms going eighties 'Astro-esque' with the NASCAR colors. Individual players can be 'tagged' too. Jason 'Voorhees' Varitek with a catcher's mask/goalie mask, a promo for the latest horror flick? Daisuke Matsuzaka is all too natural as a branding aid for Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun, or some Wampanoag casino in southeastern Mass. Tell me that you haven't thought about that? Down by the Ballyard ? _____________________________________________________ Everybody's gotta eat. A man's gotta feed his family. So let's get Cuckoo for Coco . There are no e...

Red Sox management elected to freeze out 40 year-old ace Curt Schilling from a one-year extension as GM Theo Epstein adopted an "I'm from Missouri" position. The onus is now on the big righthander to have a healthy and productive season and earn the opportunity to cash in again. On the Boston Globe website, their poll is running 5 to 4 in favor of Sox management over Schilling and a hypothetical one-year 13 million dollar extension. The Sox have rolled the dice a few times, winning with Mo Vaughn, losing with Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon so far. The Manny Ramirez saga continues with the righthanded slugger absent with authorization, with the usual variety of possible excuses. I guess that falls into the 'from each according to his ability and to each according to his need' rule. Or is it the Golden Rule? "He who has the gold makes the rules." I always liked baseball practice...AND for the professionals, Spring Training happens in tropical climates, no...

Not all the news is either 'new' or 'news', but Red Sox and area sports fans get a few earfuls today. The Sunday Boston Globe had almost three pages of NASCAR information. NASCAR has a lot of fans throughout the US, but the unholy alliance between the Red Sox and the news media seldom gets overexposed. If I'm not mistaken, the New York Times , owner of the Globe is also part owner of the Red Sox. The Red Sox have developed an alliance with NASCAR, and all of a sudden NASCAR has become the fifth sport in town. We can argue about the numbers with the implosion of the Bruins and the Celtics, and the Revolution, but since when did NASCAR get three pages of sports coverage. Watch for this one. Expect a Dan Shaughnessy column on this one - after he reads this rant. Tom Brady completed another pass, but was he hoping to connect? Fooled by randomness? Erstwhile girlfriend and former FOB (friend of Brady) announces that she is expecting his child. First, it's not news ...

Let's just imagine what it must be like to be a major league ballplayer at spring training. Try to map out your average day, before the games begin at least. Let's be real. We'll use pitchers as our example, and obviously the AA wannabe has a little different outlook than the grizzled veteran. 7:25 AM Wakeup call 7:30 -8:00 Check out Sportscenter while dressing. Anybody traded? Down some vitamins, supplements, 2 cups of coffee. 8:00-8:30 Read Wall Street Journal, Section C. How long do I have to play this game before I can buy an island anyway? 8:30:8:45 Japanese lessons (just kidding)...Xbox 8:45-9:00 Travel to City of Palms 9:00-9:30 Dress, shoot the breeze, blow off reporters (unless atractive women in tow) 9:30 On the field 9:35 Manager's pep talk, plan for the day 9:35-9:45 Stretch, tell jokes, discuss sports news, Tim Hardaway and so on 9:45 - 9:50 Lap around field (optional) 9:50-10:00 Game of catch (before fielding practice) 10:00 - 10:30 Pitchers fielding prac...

Well, it has begun, the 2007 baseball season. You know, "it's a marathon, not a sprint." And 'a game in April means as much as one in September." But overshadowing the Red Sox current edition is Keith Foulke's retirement announcement. Foulke deserved the World Series MVP. Not that Manny Ramirez was undeserving, just that Foulke merited it more. Foulke's rise wasn't meteoric, as the dart-delivery closer had excelled for years before 2004. But his spearing the Edgar Renteria grounder to end 86 years of frustration and defeatism became THE Red Sox moment of the modern era. Foulke erased memories of Bill Buckner, Jim Burton, and Grady Little. Sure, Foulke had clay feet, with Johnny Burger King, the WEEI truck, and his personal struggles. And a panoply of injuries ended his major league career. But Sox fans owe Foulke more than a footnote in Sox history. So give it up for Foulke. Fair winds and following seas. Meanwhile, Fort Myers won't lack for subpl...

Preplaying the 2007 has special hazards today, with a tremendous amount of unpredictability for computer baseball enthusiasts. Last year's prediction using Diamond Mind were pretty good. Fan Graphs has individual projections with Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz among the majors' top 5 leading offensive players (by OPS), and disappointingly, J.D. Drew is not among the top 50. Okay, so it's only a computer projection. And another computer projection ranks Drew in the top 20 , Of course, the reliability of projections is more than suspect. Pedro Martinez projects to win 15 games, and isn't likely to get 15 starts coming off shoulder surgery. Daisuke Matsuzaka projects to a 15-8 season with 3.44 ERA. For baseball starved readers, the Hardball Times always provokes some interest, and Baseball Prospectus (subscription) never stops giving. Aside from the Matsuzaka circus (and it will be one), I'm watching for the Lugo Effect and the Schilling 'shilling' impact on Spr...